Minds On
It has potential
There are a variety of locations, both indoor and outdoor, where physical activity and sports can take place. Brainstorm a list of places, the activity performed there, and the potential safety concerns you feel may be associated with them.
You can record your ideas in the following fillable and printable Location, Activity, Concern organizer. Begin by listing locations, activities, and concerns. Then, try to think of some solutions to address the concerns. One row has already been completed for you as an example.
You can also record your thoughts using another method of your choice.
Press the Activity button to access the Location, Activity, Concern.
Activity (Open PDF in a new tab)
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
What safety considerations do you need to think about, whether you are participating in physical activity at school or in the community? How do these affect your decision to participate or not? How can you ensure your own safety as well as that of others?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Action
Safety considerations
Wherever we participate in physical activities, we need to be aware of everything in our surroundings. Activities have safety considerations and rules that we need to consider and follow. We should use and wear the proper safety equipment for these activities. Using good judgement, thinking for ourselves, following rules and signs, and thinking before we act are good guidelines to follow.
Risk factors that should be considered aren’t limited to just physical injury concerns. Often, we overlook more subtle dangers such as UV exposure, anaphylaxis, asthma, etc.
Press the tabs to learn about some potential safety hazards.
Concussions are unfortunately a very common injury amongst Canada’s youth. Concussions occur in sports and youth activities.
What is a concussion? A concussion is a brain injury that is caused by any force to the head or body which interferes with the normal function of the brain.
A blow to the head can hurt the brain directly or make the brain move around and bang up against the hard bone of the skull. This then changes the signals between nerves, which causes concussion symptoms.
There are many typical signs and symptoms of a concussion. Some include:
- a headache
- balance problems
- dizziness
- nausea
- feeling “foggy”
- visual problems
- hearing problems
- irritability and/or emotional changes
Concussions also have physical signs and symptoms which include:
- loss of and/or impaired consciousness
- poor conduction or balance
- convulsions
- gait unsteadiness
- slow to answer questions, follow directions
- easily distracted
- emotional disturbance
- slurred speech
- vomiting
- vacant stare
If someone has had a fall and is experiencing any of the above signs or symptoms, they MUST speak to a trusted adult or seek a health care provider right away.
These individuals will direct them to the proper professional to diagnose their condition.
The following are a list of activities a person with a concussion should avoid:
- activities involving screen time such as watching television, using a computer or tablet, video gaming, texting, or using a phone
- reading or doing homework
- listening to music on headphones
- physical activities
Rest and time are the two things that have been proven to heal concussions.
Sunshine helps our bodies acquire vitamin D, and some studies indicate that it encourages our brains to release serotonin – a hormone that boosts your mood. However, sun exposure can lead to sunburn, and years in the sun increases the possibility of skin cancer.
Explore the following TVO video. This video covers a topic that is essential for protecting our skin: sunscreen.
Reflections off snow, water, sand, and concrete can increase the effect of UV rays. Protection is important on cloudy days, when swimming, and while participating in activities.
How can we protect against UV rays? Explore the following tips to help stay safe in the sun!
Cover up. When the UV Index is three or higher, skin needs protection as much as possible. Wear light-colours, long-sleeved shirts, pants, and a wide-brimmed hat made from breathable fabric. When buying sunglasses, make sure they provide protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
Limit your time in the sun. Keep out of the sun and heat between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The UV index in Canada can be three or higher during those times. When a person’s shadow is shorter than them, the sun is very strong. Look for places with lots of shade, like a park with big trees, partial roofs, awnings, umbrellas, or gazebo tents. Always take an umbrella to the beach.
Use sunscreen. Put sunscreen on when the UV index is three or higher. Use sunscreen labelled “broad spectrum” and “water resistant” with an SPF of at least 30.
Drink plenty of cool liquids (especially water) before you feel thirsty. If sunny days are also hot and humid, stay cool and hydrated to avoid heat illness. Dehydration (not having enough fluids in the body) is dangerous, and thirst is not a good indicator of dehydration.
We need to be aware of allergic reactions when doing physical activities. Allergic reactions may present themselves in a variety of ways, from a sniffly nose to anaphylactic shock.
Symptoms of a person suffering from anaphylaxis include:
- skin reactions such as hives, flushed skin, or paleness
- suddenly feeling too warm
- runny nose and sneezing
- swollen tongue or lips
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- a sense that something is wrong with their body
- tingling hands, feet, mouth, or scalp
- feeling of a lump in the throat or difficulty swallowing
- nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- a weak and rapid pulse
Being able to recognize and respond to a severe allergic reaction is an important skill to have.
We can respond to anaphylaxis by using an EpiPen. The following steps describe how to administer an EpiPen.
First, remove the auto-injector from the carrier tube and then follow these simple steps:
- Grasp with orange tip pointing downward
- Remove the blue safety cap by pulling straight up – do not bend or twist
- Place the orange tip against the middle of the outer thigh
- Swing and push the auto-injector firmly into the thigh until it “clicks”
- Hold firmly in place for three seconds – count slowly, “1, 2, 3”
Roughly ten percent of Canadians are affected by asthma. It is a long-term condition that is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It is a chronic disease that inflames the airways. An asthma attack can happen at any time.
Mild symptoms may only last a few minutes while more severe asthma symptoms can last hours or days.
Common symptoms of asthma include:
- coughing
- wheezing (a whistling, squeaky sound when you breathe)
- shortness of breath
- rapid breathing
- chest tightness
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
What safety considerations do you need to think about, whether participating in physical activity at school or in the community?
Record your thinking in a method of your choice.
Responding to situations
Emergencies can happen at any time – usually when you don’t expect it! Recognizing and understanding the signs of an emergency can help to determine how to handle it.
Here are a few tips that are important to know.
Safety checklist
Safety
Before you begin, consider these safety precautions:
Brainstorm
What would you do?
Consider each of the following emergency scenarios and provide a solution that you feel would be the most effective. You can record your ideas in the fillable and printable What Would You Do? document. You can also complete this activity using another method of your choice.
- Scenario #1: A student who has a nut allergy begins to scratch their arm at lunch.
- Scenario #2: During a soccer game at recess, a student is hit in the head with a ball.
- Scenario #3: A student gets a cut from a piece of paper while working in class.
Building a safety plan
The community of Collingwood, Ontario was faced with a problem. How could cyclists and cars co-exist safely? Examine the following video for details of the plan that they made.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
What action was taken by the Collingwood Cycling Club, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the residents of Collingwood to resolve the issue?
Record your ideas using a method of your choice.
Consolidation
Community safety plan
Your task is to create a community safety plan. The purpose of the plan is to educate community members on the potential risks associated with physical activity and provide information on how to stay safe. To choose the direction of your campaign, review the following prompting questions:
- What information should everybody in my community know about one safety concern?
- What is a safety issue specific to my community?
- Have I identified ways to respond to this safety concern?
- Who is my audience for this campaign: younger students? Teenagers? Elderly? A different audience?
Your turn
Create a plan to educate your target audience.
The following is an example plan to give you some ideas:
| Prompting Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What information should everybody in my community know about one safety concern? | I would like to inform my community members about concussions. |
| What is a safety issue specific to my community? | In my community there is a skateboarding park that many community members use. Most people wear helmets but not everyone. I would like to inform all community members of the importance of wearing a helmet, which reduces the risk of concussions |
| Have I identified ways to respond to this safety concern? | Look for signs and symptoms of someone suffering from a concussion, then seek medical attention for that person so they can begin the rest and time it takes to recover as well as know the activities to avoid |
| Who is my audience for this campaign: younger students? Teenagers? Elderly? A different audience? | The target audience for this campaign is youth who are the majority of community members who attend the skateboard park |
You can create your plan using whichever method works for you. Here are a few ideas:
- presentation
- brochure
- poster
- audio recording
- video
- short play
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
What can you do to help make your home and community a safe place to be physically active?
Record your ideas using a method of your choice.
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.